A packaged electronic component (hereinafter electronic component), such as a multichip module or a plastic packaged integrated circuit, generates a large amount of heat during operation. Such electronic components can be cooled by a variety of heat sink devices and methods, as described in, for example, U.S. Pat Nos. 4,449,164, 5,369,550, 5,212,625 and 5,111,280.
Heat sinks based on forced convective cooling typically use a fan or a pump. However, devices and methods for forced convective cooling of electronic components are complex, expensive, and consume energy.